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Regulation System (regulation + system)
Selected AbstractsThalidomide for the treatment of multiple myelomaCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 3 2004Yutaka Hattori ABSTRACT Although thalidomide was withdrawn in the 1960s after its teratogenic property was recognized, it was subsequently found that this drug possesses immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Recent studies have also demonstrated that thalidomide has antineoplastic activity via an antiangiogenic mechanism. Observations in the late 1990s that the microenvironment in the bone marrow plays a role in tumor progression in multiple myeloma provided an impetus to use thalidomide for the treatment of this disease. It is known that thalidomide monotherapy is effective in one-third of refractory cases, and in combination with glucocorticoids and/or antineoplastic drugs, thalidomide provides a response rate of more than 50%. Thus, thalidomide therapy is considered a standard approach for the treatment of relapsed and refractory myeloma. The exact mechanism of the antimyeloma effect of thalidomide is not yet clearly understood. Anti-angiogenic effects, direct activity in tumor cells such as the induction of apoptosis or G1 arrest of the cell cycle, the inhibition of growth factor production, the regulation of interactions between tumor and stromal cells, and the modulation of tumor immunity have been considered as possible mechanisms. In addition to its teratogenicity, the adverse effects of thalidomide have been general symptoms such as somnolence and headache, peripheral neuropathy, constipation, skin rash, and other symptoms. Although these adverse effects are generally reversible and mild, grade 3 and 4 toxicities such as peripheral neuropathy, deep venous thrombosis, neutropenia, and toxic dermal necrosis have occasionally been reported. The application of thalidomide therapy in patients with multiple myeloma is being broadened to include not only cases of refractory myeloma, but also previously untreated cases, as well as for maintenance therapy after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and for the treatment of other hematological diseases. The safe use of this drug will depend on the establishment of diagnostic and treatment guidelines. In addition, the establishment of a nation-wide regulation system is urgently needed in Japan. [source] Australian food regulations public consultation process: Teaching postgraduate dietetics students to participateNUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 2-3 2005Shawn Somerset Abstract Objective:, To assess a teaching strategy to develop competency, familiarity and willingness of dietetic students to participate in food regulation development. Design:, Qualitative evaluation of self-perceived learning outcomes. Subjects/Setting:, Two consecutive cohorts (n = 39) of postgraduate dietetics students from Griffith University. Intervention:, Preparation and presentation of a formal response to a call for comment by Australia's food regulatory body (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) during the period 1999,2001. Main outcome measures:, Self-reported descriptions of confidence, familiarity and willingness to participate in the public consultation process. Results:, Following the assignment, students generally reported being more familiar with the regulatory process and more confident to participate. Most students identified the importance of reference material on Food Standards Australia New Zealand procedures that they could use for review should the opportunity for participation arise at a later date. A major issue identified was the potential for cynicism towards the process. This issue was seen as a potential barrier to participation by students after graduation. Applications/Conclusions:, This issues-based approach to teaching of a food regulation system has potential to enhance participation in regulatory development by a broader cross-section of dietitians. [source] A gene regulation system with four distinct expression levelsTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 8 2006Christel Krueger Abstract Background The amount of a particular protein, and not just its presence or absence, frequently determines the outcome of a developmental process or disease progression. These dosage effects can be studied by conditionally expressing such proteins at different levels. With typical gene regulation systems like the Tet-On system, intermediate expression levels can be obtained by varying the effector concentration. However, this strategy is limited to situations in which these concentrations can be precisely controlled and, thus, not suited for animal models or gene therapy approaches. Here, we present a Tet transregulator setup that allows establishment of four levels of promoter activity largely independent of effector concentration. Methods A newly introduced transsilencer is combined with a reverse transactivator. As the regulators respond differentially to tetracycline derivatives, four expression levels are obtained by adding different effectors. To facilitate integration of the components, we generated versatile all-in-one vectors. Apart from a cassette expressing the transregulators and a selection marker, these vectors encode a bidirectional, regulated promoter driving expression of GFP and the gene of interest. The features of this stepwise regulation system were analyzed by transient and stable transfections of human cell lines. Results We demonstrate in a variety of experimental settings that coexpression of these transregulators leads to robust stepwise regulation. Depending on the respective effectors, four expression levels are achieved with different responsive promoters, cell lines and target genes. Conclusions This system shows that a promoter can be adjusted to different activities and provides an excellent strategy to investigate protein dosage effects. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Optimal Pressure Regulation of the Pneumatic Ventricular Assist Device With Bellows-Type DriverARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 8 2009Jung Joo Lee Abstract The bellows-type pneumatic ventricular assist device (VAD) generates pneumatic pressure with compression of bellows instead of using an air compressor. This VAD driver has a small volume that is suitable for portable devices. However, improper pneumatic pressure setup can not only cause a lack of adequate flow generation, but also cause durability problems. In this study, a pneumatic pressure regulation system for optimal operation of the bellows-type VAD has been developed. The optimal pneumatic pressure conditions according to various afterload conditions aiming for optimal flow rates were investigated, and an afterload estimation algorithm was developed. The developed regulation system, which consists of a pressure sensor and a two-way solenoid valve, estimates the current afterload and regulates the pneumatic pressure to the optimal point for the current afterload condition. Experiments were performed in a mock circulation system. The afterload estimation algorithm showed sufficient performance with the standard deviation of error, 8.8 mm Hg. The flow rate could be stably regulated with a developed system under various afterload conditions. The shortcoming of a bellows-type VAD could be handled with this simple pressure regulation system. [source] An Hg2+ -Gated Chiral Molecular Switch Created by Using Binaphthalene Molecules with Two Anthracene Units and Two 1,3-Dithiole-2-thione (1,3-Dithiole-2-one) UnitsCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 18 2008Cheng Wang Abstract By integrating the features of anthracene, 1,3-dithiole-2-thione, and binaphthalene units, (S)- 1 and its analogue (S)- 2, which contains two 1,3-dithiole-2-one units instead of 1,3-dithiole-2-thione, were studied for creating a new molecular regulation system and building a gated chiral molecular switch. The results show that the photodimerization is controlled by the remote functional-group transformation of CS into CO, thus providing an elegant example of molecular regulation. The photodimerization of two anthracene units induces circular dichroism (CD) spectral variation. Overall, the CD spectrum can be remotely modulated by Hg2+ in (S)- 1, which leads to an Hg2+ -gated chiral molecular switch. [source] Infrastructure Financing and Operation in the Contemporary CityGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010PHILLIP M. O'NEILL Abstract The provision of large economic infrastructure in Australian cities is widely seen to be in crisis. This paper examines the reasons why crisis has arisen in the urban infrastructure sector and what might be done to redress this. The analysis and the argument are based on a resuscitation of the ideas and ideals of infrastructure provision and how these have been eroded. The paper shows how these ideas/ideals once underpinned the formulation of state role, governance and regulation systems, financial arrangements, and even community need and expectation. Critical to this was an acceptance of the ideals of universality, access, bundling and free positive externalities, and the belief that these should be assembled necessarily as part of any urban infrastructure roll-out. This package became instinctive in post-war economic and urban management. Yet this instinct has been lost as governments shift from models of infrastructure provision to infrastructure procurement where a major role for the private sector is now common. While such an involvement has its benefits, there are concerns for the urban condition when privatisation of infrastructure construction, delivery and operation becomes dominant. Citing Graham and Marvin (2001), the paper argues that, where once infrastructure was the key device for integrating the elements of the city and its people, the way it is now being delivered produces a splintered urbanism. There is an urgent need, then, to re-think what infrastructure means in today's urban context and thereafter to re-assess the criteria for deciding what infrastructure is to be provided, in what form it should be provided, who should provide it, who should pay, and who should operate it. [source] Genotype-dependent response to carbon availability in growing tomato fruitPLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 7 2010MARION PRUDENT ABSTRACT Tomato fruit growth and composition depend on both genotype and environment. This paper aims at studying how fruit phenotypic responses to changes in carbon availability can be influenced by genotype, and at identifying genotype-dependent and -independent changes in gene expression underlying variations in fruit growth and composition. We grew a parental line (Solanum lycopersicum) and an introgression line from Solanum chmielewskii harbouring quantitative trait loci for fresh weight and sugar content under two fruit loads (FL). Lowering FL increased fruit cell number and reduced fruit developmental period in both genotypes. In contrast, fruit cell size was increased only in the parental line. Modifications in gene expression were monitored using microarrays and RT-qPCR for a subset of genes. FL changes induced more deployments of regulation systems (transcriptional and post-transcriptional) than massive adjustments of whole primary metabolism. Interactions between genotype and FL occurred on 99 genes mainly linked to hormonal and stress responses, and on gene expression kinetics. Links between gene expression and fruit phenotype were found for aquaporin expression levels and fruit water content, and invertase expression levels and sugar content. In summary, the present data emphasized age- and genotype-dependent responses of tomato fruit to carbon availability, at phenotypic as well as gene expression level. [source] An under-active or over-active internal world?THE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2005An exploration of parallel dynamics within psyche, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the difficulty of internal regulation Abstract:, This paper explores the dynamics brought into analytic work when there is a symmetric fusion between psyche and soma within the patient. It will consider how such a fusion may emerge from reverberations between physical constitution and a lack of maternal attunement, containment and reflective function. I will describe the work with a patient, Jane, who was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) during the course of her analysis. The dynamic of her physical symptoms within the analytic work, and the impact of her internal affects and internal ,objects' within the transference and countertransference, indicated a difficulty in finding an homeostatic balance resulting in overactivity and underactivity at both somatic and psychological levels. Using the clinical work with Jane this paper will also examine the interrelationship between mother-infant attachment, an inadequate internalized maternal reflective function, affect dysregulation, unconscious fusion, the lack of psyche-soma differentiation and the impact of the latter in relation to internal regulation systems, or lack of, in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). I will draw on similar work carried out by Holland (1997), Simpson (1997) and Simpson et al. (1997). The paper will also employ the concept of the reflective function (Fonagy 2001; Knox 2003), and consider Matte-Blanco's (1999) concepts of generalization and unconscious symmetry in relation to the patient's internal world. I go on to consider how analysis provides a point outside the ,fusion' that can enable the ,deadlock' to be broken. [source] A gene regulation system with four distinct expression levelsTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 8 2006Christel Krueger Abstract Background The amount of a particular protein, and not just its presence or absence, frequently determines the outcome of a developmental process or disease progression. These dosage effects can be studied by conditionally expressing such proteins at different levels. With typical gene regulation systems like the Tet-On system, intermediate expression levels can be obtained by varying the effector concentration. However, this strategy is limited to situations in which these concentrations can be precisely controlled and, thus, not suited for animal models or gene therapy approaches. Here, we present a Tet transregulator setup that allows establishment of four levels of promoter activity largely independent of effector concentration. Methods A newly introduced transsilencer is combined with a reverse transactivator. As the regulators respond differentially to tetracycline derivatives, four expression levels are obtained by adding different effectors. To facilitate integration of the components, we generated versatile all-in-one vectors. Apart from a cassette expressing the transregulators and a selection marker, these vectors encode a bidirectional, regulated promoter driving expression of GFP and the gene of interest. The features of this stepwise regulation system were analyzed by transient and stable transfections of human cell lines. Results We demonstrate in a variety of experimental settings that coexpression of these transregulators leads to robust stepwise regulation. Depending on the respective effectors, four expression levels are achieved with different responsive promoters, cell lines and target genes. Conclusions This system shows that a promoter can be adjusted to different activities and provides an excellent strategy to investigate protein dosage effects. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Dual-regulated myoD- and msx1-based interventions in C2C12-derived cells enable precise myogenic/osteogenic/adipogenic lineage controlTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 10 2004Cornelia Fux Abstract Background Advanced gene therapy, tissue engineering and biopharmaceutical manufacturing require sophisticated and well-balanced multiregulated multigene interventions to reprogram desired mammalian cell phenotypes. Methods We have combined the streptogramin (PIP)- and tetracycline (TET)-responsive gene regulation systems for independent expression control of the differentiation determinants myoD and msx1 in C2C12-derived cells. Results Different dual-regulated expression scenarios which induce either both, only one or none of the lineage control genes triggered differential differentiation and precise control of myogenic, osteogenic or adipogenic cell phenotypes. Conclusions Our findings substantiate the use of multiregulated multigene interventions in reprogramming cellular differentiation pathways in a desired manner. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effects of different regulation systems on television food advertising to childrenAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 4 2007Bridget Kelly Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to model children's potential exposure to television food advertisements under different regulatory scenarios to demonstrate the policy implications of regulatory change in Australia. Methods: Television advertising data was collected from Sydney commercial television channels from 14,20 May 2006. Extrapolating from these data, the patterns of food advertising under four regulatory scenarios were examined, including arrangements restricting the content, volume and timing of advertisements. Results: Each scenario resulted in a reduction of total and non-core food advertisements. The scenario to restrict non-core food advertisements during the major viewing period (7:00-20:30) led to the largest reduction in total and non-core food advertisements (79.2% reduction), with no change in the frequency of core food advertisements. Conclusions: The results illustrate the potential for reducing children's exposure to food advertising through simple regulatory restrictions. Implications: This research contributes to future debates on the regulation of television food advertising. It is particularly relevant as Australian regulations will be under review in 2007. [source] | |||||||||||||